Electronic counting device



Dec. 11,- 1956 R. H. BAKER ETAL 2,773,933

ELECTRONIC COUNTING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 29, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l t in +7 0 4 zap/xv, a E

Dec. 11, 1956 R. H. BAKER ET AL ELECTRONIC coummc DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 29

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United States Patent 2,773,983 ELECTRONIC COUNTING DEVICE Richard H. Baker, Los Angeles, and Donald E. vEckdahl,

Manhattan Beach, Calif., assignors to Northrop. Allcraft Inc., Hawthorne, Califi, a corporation of California 1 Claim. (Cl. 25027) The present application is a division of our prior copending application Serial No. 124,334, filed October 29, 1949, which is now Patent No. 2,620,440, issued December 2, 1952.

This invention relates to electronic counting circuits and more particularly to the type that reset at an odd number.

When using electronic counting circuits for rate division of a pulse stream, or for providing the stages of a multistage counter, for example, it is desirable that they be so arranged that they emit a pulse to an outgoing circuit and automatically reset to a zero designated condition after a given number of pulses have been received on an incoming circuit.

It is well known that counting circuits of this type can be provided based on the use of a fundamental circuit known as a modified Eccles-Jordan flip-flop. These latter circuits are of a binary nature however; and thus, although they are admirably suitable for counting circuits in the binary geometric progression system, their inherent binary operation makes them unwieldy to adapt to counting methods in odd number radix systems.

it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a means for simply adapting flip-flop circuits to count in odd number radices.

Further, it is highly desirable to be able to adapt a normal cascade of flip-flop circuits for counting even number radices other than those included in the binary geometric progression system; in particular, the radix ten.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a novel means for modifying the interconnection of a normal cascade of flip-flop circuits to count in the decimal system.

In accordance with this invention, the modified Eccles- Jordan flip-flop circuit referred to is of the type having a common input to both of its tubes whereby it can be triggered from Whichever state it is in to the other by a single pulse applied thereto. Another characteristic of this flip-flop circuit is that it can also be changed in state by a proper polarity pulse applied directly to one of the grids of the tubes. Thus each flip-flop circuit has three possible inputs: the common input, and the input to each of the grids. in general, a pulse applied at the inputs to the grids is considered to be more effective and less critical in action than a similar pulse applied at the common input.

Briefly, the present invention comprises a plurality of flip-flops, of the type as above described, arranged in cascade to form a counter. An incomingcircuit to the counter is connected directly to the common triggering point of the first flip-flop; and each of the successive intermediate flip-flops, if any, have their common triggering point connected to the carry plate of the preceding flipflop circuit. Connecting means are then provided for the last flip-flop so that whenever it receives a carry pulse, the next pulse on the incoming circuit is enabled to change only the state of the last-flip-flop and thus return 2,773,983 Patented Dec. 11, 1956 .all the flip-flops in the counter to a zero designated condition. The outgoing circuit from the counting circuit is connected to this last flip-flop and carries one of the outgoing pulses created by its change in state.

This invention will be made more apparent from the ensuing description of the drawings in which:

Figure l is a circuit diagram of the electronic counter of the present invention which resets at the number three.

Figure 2 is a circuit diagram showing how an intermediate flip-flop can be added to the circuit in Figure 1 to enable resetting at the number five.

Figure 3 is a table of the conditions of the tubes, of the flip-flops in the counter of Figure 2, as they count through a cycle.

Figure 4 is a graph sequence of voltage conditions for the carry tubes of the flip-flops in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating how the present invention can be adapted for counting in the decimal system. I

Referring first to Figure 1, flip-flop networks A and B are there shown interconnected so as to form a ternary counting circuit, i. e., a circuit which resets, or cycles, to a zero designated condition of its tubes when three input pulses are received on an input line 10.

The two tubes in each flip-flop have their plates and grids intercoupled, as is well known, so that when a common potential is applied across them they will settle at a stable state such that one tube is conducting and the other tube is non-conducting. The flip-flop will then remain in its existing state until switched by a properly applied pulse.

For example, flip-flop A can be triggered by applying a negative polarity pulse at a junction Ia which is connected to the grids of each of the tubes through individual resistors 11. Junction la is further connected to a negative potential B through a bias resistor 12. This arrangement of input resistors with a flip-flop is well known as a Potter network. Flip-flop A, for example, can also be triggered or caused to change its state by applying input pulses directly to the grids of one of its tubes. For instance, in the present invention, by applying a negative pulse directly to the grid of a conducting tube, the opposite tube can be made to conduct.

As noted, the left and right tube of each of the flip-flops is assigned the letters X and Y, respectively, with appropriate subscripts. As the right tubes in each flip-flop have the outgoing leads connected thereto, tubes Ya and Yb are known as carry tubes, and tubes Xa and X1: are known as non-carry tubes.

For the particular arrangement of the flip-flops in Figure 1, incoming circuit 10 is connected through a first input capacitor 13 to the junction Ia of flip-flop A. Incoming circuit 10 is also connected through a second input capacitor 14 to the grid of tube Xh of flip-flop B.

The output from the carry plate of tube Ya is then connected through an interconnecting capacitor 15 to the grid of the other tube, Yb, of flip-flop B.

To complete the present hookup a feedback line 16 is connected from the plate of tube Yb to the grid of tube Xa through a feedback capacitor 1'7. The outgoing circuit 20 from the counter is likewise preferably taken from the plate of tube Yb, although it should be noted that this outgoing circuit connection could also be made at the tube Xb, as shown by line 20, and still give the proper rate division of pulses on the incoming circuit 10.

In order to explain the operation of the ternary counter, assume that the Ya. and Yb tubes are conducting and that negative polarity square pulses are being applied on the incoming circuit 10. The first of these input pulses, applied at the junction is of fiip- .op A, turns tube Xe. on and turns tube Ya. off. This first input pulse has no effect on flip-flop B, however, since it is applied to the grid of tube Xb which is already off.

The result of the change in state of flip-flop A causes a rise in potential at the plate of tube Ya. However,- as will be more clearly shown in the ensuing description, this rise in potential is gradual due to transients in the network so that it is effectively attenuated through the differentiating circuit comprised of interconnecting capacitor 15 and the resistance of the grid of tube Yb.

The second negative polarity input pulse, applied on incoming circuit 10, again reversesthe state of the fiip flop A, causing tube Ya to again conduct. potential thus created on the plate of tube Y a is of a sudden nature as contrasted with the previous gradual potential rise so that it is communicated through inter- The drop in V connecting capacitor 15 as a peaked negative carry pulse onto the grid of tube Yb.

It is noted that as a result of this second input pulse, two distinct actions are imposed on flip-flop B. First, the second input pulse is impressed directly as a negative pulse on the grid of non-carry tube Xb; secondly, the negative carry pulse, which was emitted from flip-flop A as a result of the second input pulse on it, is impressed on the grid of carry tube Yb. These negative pulses obviously act in opposition on flip-flop B. However, the negative carry pulse impressed on the grid of tube Yb grid of tube Xb for two reasons.

In the first place, the input pulse applied on the incoming circuit 10 is comparable in magnitude and width with the carry pulses from tube Ya; but, whereas the predominates over the second input pulse applied to the I carry pulses are applied directly, the incoming pulses are' divided so as to be applied to both flip-flops. Thus the carry pulses are always stronger signals. In the second place, the carry pulse is delayed with respect to the input pulse by the time required for flip-flop A to produce it, so that the carry pulse exists after the incoming pulse has disappeared.

Thus, the second pulse eifectively changes the state of both flip-flop A and flip-flop B. It should be noted that the slow rise in potential on the plate of tube Yb, as flip-flop B is changed by the second input pulse, is not communicated over the feedback line 16 to the grid of tube Xa; since, as explained before, positive .going changes in potential are attenuated by the feedback. differentiating circuit comprised, in this case, of capacitor 17 and the chosen resistance of the grid of tube Xe.

The third input pulse on incoming circuit 19 attempts to change the state of flip-flop A as was accomplished by the previous two input pulses. However, before this triggering action can be realized, this same third input pulse, which is also applied on the conducting'tube Xb, I

The resulting sudden causes flip-flop B to change state. drop in potential on the plate of tube Yb is immediately communicated as a differentiated peaked negative pulse on feedback line 16 to the non-conducting tube Xa of the flip-flop A; and prevents the third input pulse which has been applied on the less sensitive input junction is. from changing the state of flip-flop A.

This same carry pulse, which is fed on feedback line 16 for blocking the triggering effect of the third input pulse on flip-flop A, is fed as an output pulse on outgoing circuit 20.

Thus one output pulse has been fed out on outgoing circuit 20 for three input pulses on the incoming circuit 10. Moreover, the flip-flops have now cycled back, or reset, to the condition with tubes Ya and Yb on and tubes X21 and Xb off, as originally assumed, so that the fourth input pulse finds the flip-flops in the same condition as the first input pulse.

Referring next to Figure 2, a circuit diagram is shown with an intermediate flip-flop #1 comprised of tribes X1 and Y1 inserted between flip-flops A and B. seen here that the inter-connection of flip-flops A and B have not been changed except for the fact that the output from tube YD. is connected to the junction Jr of the It. is i 4 intermediate flip-flop #1, while the output from theplate of tube Y1 is connected to the grid of tube Yb. The counting circuit of Figure 2 will be seen to be a quinary counter, i. e., one which resets at the odd number 5. Referring to Figure 3, a table is shown describing the conditions of the tubes in the flip-flops of Figure 2 as the input pulses are successively impressed on the incoming circuit 10.

As before described, and as seen in the table of Figure 3, the Y tubes of all the flip-flops are initially on for the zero or reset condition of the counter. As the first four input pulses are successively applied to the counter, it can be seen that flip-flop A and flip-flop #1 trigger off and on as in ordinary binary counting, i. e., for every two pulses received on the input to a flip-flop a single carry pulse is emitted to the output. It should be noted that these first four negative input pulses, although felt on the grid of tube Xb in flip-flop B, have no effect thereon since the tube is in a non-conducting state.

Referring to the circuit of Figure 2 and the graph of Figure 3, it is seen that after the fourth input pulse has been'ap'plied to the counting circuit, a carry pulse is conveyed from the #1 flip-flop to change the state of the B flip-flop. The flip-flops are now in the condition to permit the fifth input pulse to change the state of flip-flop B and thus cause a carry pulse on feedback line 16, to serve its function of blocking the effect of the fifth input pulse in its attempt to trigger flip flop A.

This carry pulse from the tube Yb of flip-flop B is also conveyed as the output pulse on outgoing circuit 20. It is readily seen that the carry pulse from tube Y1 can be used as another output also giving one output pulse for every five input pulses on incoming circuit 10. The only difference is that output pulses on alternate outgoing circuit 21 occur one trigger pulse sooner than the output from flip-flop B. The relative phase is of no importance, however, since any configuration of the counter can be called zero to start with.

Referring to the table in Figure 3 it can be seen that the sixth input pulse finds the flip-flop circuits in the same condition as did the first input pulse, i. e., the conditions of the tubes of the flip-flops have cycled back to their original orientation.

Figure 4 is a graph revealing the plate wave forms of the Y tubes, or carry tubes, of each of the flip-flops as the counter changes its state in going through a cycle. it is seen here that the triggering of a Y tube from an on to off condition results in a comparatively gradual rise of the potential on its plate as compared to the sudden drop in potential evidenced on the Y plate when its tube is triggered to become conducting. Thus, as previously explained, the differentiation action of the capacitor and grid, through which the changes in Y plate potentials are conveyed, is practically non-existent for increased potentials on the Y plates, while this action on the decreased potentials results in them being conveyed as peaked negative pulses which cause definite triggering action on the tubes.

Moreover, in Figure 4, the blocking action on flipflop A, as a result of the fifth input pulse, is clearly revealed in the graph by the absence of change of voltage on the Ya plate at this instance. It is made apparent here, however, that the drop in potential experienced by the Y plate at the instant of the fifth input pulse results in an output carry pulse from flip-flop B.

Referring next to Figure 5, a block diagram of the counting circuit in Figure 2, which resets after five input pulses are applied, is shown preceded by an ordinary flip-flop functioning as a binary stage. This embodiment forms a decade counter. The flip-flop P divides the incoming pulse rate on input line 23 by two, and

flip-flop -P-by five. The result is division by ten. Thus a decade resetting counter has been supplied which on ables counting to he obtained in the decimal system.

By using a plurality of such units for successive stages of a multi-stage counter, ordinary decimal counting to any number can be obtained.

Thus, it has clearly been revealed how a counting device for resetting at odd numbers can be obtained from a normal binary chain of flip-flops with a minimum requirement of modifications in their external interconnections.

The primary advantage of this arrangement for connecting flip-flops to obtain odd number radices is that the action of the carry and reset signals is precise and does not require critical examination or adjustment of circuit elements to produce reliable results. At no time during the cycle of operation is there any question as to the action of the circuits in the device. Even when two signals tendto oppose one another there is no balancing efiect since one of them retains absolute control and completely blocks the other one out of the action.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise a preferred form of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A stage of a quinary counter comprising three flipfiop circuits arranged in a cascade, said flip-flop circuits comprising dual tubes each having a grid and a plate,

and being of the type capable of operation from one stable state to the other by a pulse applied at a common input point to its tubes or by a pulse applied at the grid of one of its tubes, an incoming circuit connected to the common input point of the first flip-flop and to the grid of the non-carry tube of the last flip-flop of said cascade, a carry pulse circuit from the plate of the carry tube of said first flip-flop to the common input point of said second flip-flop, a carry pulse circuit from the plate of the carry tube of said second flip-flop to the grid of the carry tube of said last flip-flop, a carry pulse feedback circuit from the plate of the carry tube of said last flip-flop, solely to the grid of the non-carry tube of said first flip-flop, said feedback circuit including a capacitor, whereby an output taken from the plate of the carry tube of either said second flip-flop or said last .fiip-fiop yields one output pulse for every five input pulses on said incoming circuit. 5

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

